Ear clip



Jan. 9, 1951 s, A WITTMAYER 2,537,500

EAR CLIP Filed Jan. 26, 1946 HHH SAA/mm Lft/l//Tf VE Fig' 2 l INVENTOR. e'

/7/'5 afar/15a.

Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNI TED ES PATEN T O FFII CE v `EIAR CLIP Sandor -Alemnder Wittmayer, New Xork, N. Application January 26, 19.456, 'Serial N o. 643593 This invention relates to clips byjwlnch .ornaments aresecuredon the ears, as Worn by women, and has for its main object to provide a device of this type which will be more reliable than ear clips vused'or proposed heretofore. Another 'object 4of the invention is to 2prlivide ear clips, for ear ornament 'securing means, which will be more attractive in appearance than 'those used at present.

Stll further objects of my invention will be partly apparent and partly pointed out as the specification of the same progresses.

In the drawings, forming a part of this speci1'l cation and accompanying the same:

Fig. l is a partly sectional side elevational view of my novel ear clip; the spaces in some parts being shown somewhat exaggeratedly, for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof as indicated by the arrow 2 in Fig. l, being on a smaller scale;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, the section being taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 shows a cross section of the inner clip member, as indicated by 4 4 in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, by characters of reference, the numeral Il! indicates my novel ear clip, in general, being mainly composed of two elements, a relatively stationary U-shaped clip member II and a movable member I2.

The ear lobe of the person is indicated by dotted lines I3, and it will be seen that upon using my device the outer branch I4 of the U-shaped element II will be placed against the 'outer surface I5 of the ear lobe I3, said U-shaped element encircling the lower end of the ear lobe, as indicated in Fig. l, and its inner branch IB being to the rear thereof.

The desired ear ornament or jewelry proper will be secured on the outer branch I4, as usual. (Not shown.)

A tube Il is secured to the rear of the movable clip member I2, said tube having a longitudinal slot I8 in which the upper end I9 of the inner branch I6 may slide. Said top I9 carries a sleeve nut 2G in which rotates a comparatively thin screw pin ZI. The forward end 22 o f the screw pin is rotatable in the clamping piece I2, but is not allowed to axially move with reference thereto, in a word, the forward end ofthe screw pin 2I is swiveled in the clamp or clip member I2. One form of such swivelled engagement is indicated in Fig. l, but such devices are well known in this art and a more detailed description thereof is not necessary.

5 Claims. (C1. 6B-1111;)

:Therear'end of the Yscrew pin "2'I carries a preferably knurled operating -disc 23, which lmay have Vvalepe-nding flan-ge '254 Ato better steady Athe same on the tlbe I1.

The use and operation of my device Iwill be understood from fthe ldrawings and herein 'de- .scriptioi-i, -but I may -oifer the following further explanations.

The ear clip having been placed over the lower portion of the ear lobe as indicated in Fig. 1, but in a loose manner, the disc 23 will be rotated in the right direction, whereby screw 2| will cause the U-shaped element I I to move rearwardly, as indicated by the arrow 25. This movement will press the forward branch I4 thereof against the ear lobe and such operation will be continued until the device is safely secured on the ear lobe by the clamping action of the opposing members I4 and I2, as will be understood.

When it is desired to remove the ornament from the ear lobe, disc 23 Will be rotated in the opposite direction. U-shaped member II now moving forwardly and its front branch I4 releasing the ear lobe. Y

It will be seen that I provided a novel ear clip which while very simple in construction still is reliable in its clamping action and easily tightened or loosened and in which the moving parts are securely guided. Such moving parts, at the same time, are concealed and the device has an attractive, esthetic appearance.

What I claim is new and want to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an earclip, the combination of a U-shaped member of generally uniform small cross section, having inner and outer legs of greater length than their distance from one another, a screw threaded sleeve nut of small cross section on said inner leg, a thin screw passing throughV said nut, a clamping plate swivelled at the outer end of said screw whereby said screw may rotate in said plate but may not move in an axial direction with respect thereto, a thin tube secured on said clamping plate and extending over said screw, and an operating disk fixed on the inner end of said screw and closing the inner end of said tube, said tube having a longitudinal slot in.

which the inner leg of said U-shaped member may slide, and said clamping plate being substantially wider than the diameter of said tube.

2. In a device, as set forth in claim 1, the inner leg of said U-shaped member being oval and narrowed in the direction transversely to said tube, whereby the slot in said tube may be made smaller.-

3. In a device, as set forth in claim l, the engagement of said screw with said plate being provided by a sleeve member secured at the inner end of said screw and rotatable in said plate, and means on said sleeve preventing an axial movement thereof with reference to said plate.

4. In an earclip, the combination of a U-shaped member of generally uniform small cross section, having inner and outer legs of greater length than their distance from one another, a screw threaded sleeve nut of small cross section on said inner leg, a thin screw passing through said nut, a clamping plate swivelled at the outer end of said screw whereby said screw may rotate in said plate but may not move in an axial direction with respect thereto, a thin tube secured on said clamping plate and extending over said screw, and an operating disk xed on the inner end of said screw and closing the inner end of said tube, said tube having a longitudinal slot in which the inner leg of said U -shaped member may slide, and said clamping plate being substantially wider than the diameter of said tube, a flange on said operating disk slidably engaging the rear end of said tube.

5. In an earclip, the combination of a U-shaped member of generally uniform small cross section, having inner and outer legs of greater length than their distance from one another, a screw threaded sleeve nut of small cross section on said inner leg, a thin screw passing through said nut, a clamping plate swivelled at the outer end of said screw whereby said screw may rotate in said plate but may not move in an axial direction with respect thereto, a thin tube secured on said clamping plate and extending over said screw, and an operating disk fixed on the inner end of said Screw and closing the inner end of said tube, said tube having a longitudinal slot in which the inner leg of said U-shaped member may slide, and said clamping plate being substantially wider than the diameter of said tube, said clamping plate being curved to follow the curvature of the rear lower portion of an ear lobe.

SANDOR ALEXANDER WITTMAYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,296,552 Pejchar Mar. 4, 1919 2,034,503 Barnes Mar. 17, 1936 2,205,674 Schroeder June 25, 1940 2,313,668 Placco Mar. 9, 1943 

